The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-02-17
TIE SILK CROP FOR THE SOUTH.
how the Far"hcrs May Diversity Thei,
Work to Advantarc

: ThE SILK CROP FOR THE SOUTH.
iiow the Far:mcrs May Diversity Thei,
Work TO Advantage.
Iorin Blodgctt writes to q Western
paper: It is possible to add to the pres
ont crop Of the planting States cror
not less i'll it's realized value to tho pco,
pic who grow it than the cotton crop is
now. The silk crop Of Europe has the
chief resource Of the northern provinces
OF Italy and of several districts of Franco
Tor more than half n century 1t is still
at the highest position for those coun-
tries, but it cannot be increased and
made adequate to supply this country
with silk. It cunnot be increased for
reasons connected with the close occu-
patton Of the land here, the heavy taxes,
and the cmbarrtssmentS and restrictions
on the occupicrs of the soil; the heavy
rentals and the absolute need of growing
as much food as possible, and the labor
OF the people can take caro- of.
In the central and southern States here
the situation is wholly different There
IS a surplus of land, very lightly taxed,
and not incumDered, but almost abso-
lutely out OF use, because it does not pay
20 cultivate 1t i'll competition with the
West.
There IS no urgent demand for labor
10 produce food crops and no restriction
Wha1rN"r on the freedom Of the owners
OK Eind or tho Occupicrs of the farms in
tlc Lew cases where the occupants arc
INC owners. There Is 10 crushing eX-
"ction Ot taxes Ur rentals from the pCO-
PIE and the only necessity is to produce
crop chengcable directly for money.
1hc cotton crop has had great posi-
Iioh as ,hc money earning crop of the
South, but II does not return the most
necessary Of tho expenses incurred in
growing ii to the small planter or farm
en- 1t does not pay Il dollar for his
labor, and it rapidly cxhnusts all the
fertility Of the soil. 1t costs largely to
| prepare for ii, and requires long waiting
to ie;'izo What it docs yield. Valuable
rs 1t still IS to the large planters and on
rich Lands, 1t has ceased to be valuable
I" the greater body of the small farmers,
and especially 10 the eastern States OF
+ lhn South.
But in all these older States both the
! Soll and the climate especially favor the
j growth OF silk. The mulberry is in
/ dEchous, and it grows freely without
cnLtlNntlon. Any part Of the country
and aiI classes Of lands will produce It
]
| piouGling or other cultivation. The land
being practically free Of taxes, the occu-
pants are free to earn the most thov can
and to use the whole of what they do
earn.
Attcr the mulberry trees arc sufficient
~ grown 1t is an easy work to turn them
INTO Slik-@ few days only, not more
than month-nnd the crop Of the year
~ grown and gathered, ready for sale.
Inc cucoCn5 need no preparation Of con-
sequence, or none which involves any
! matcra! cost. If Il tilaturc is hear at
hand they can hO immediately rccled.
and the rcClcd silk is worth five dollars u
! pound-not merely the six or eight cents
a pound which the ginncd cotton brings.
! Inc coc"On@, when gathered, are worth
eighty cents to one dollar pound; but
they arc not difficult to reel, and NAV be
rcrlcd ut once, rs is done in Italy. The
tull value Of the sill, can then be realized,
. Inns SILK when rcolcd is the most en-
: during and permanently valuable OF all
llbIGs; rs much more valuable for any
definite weight thon any other as gold is
more valuable than iron.
There IS not the least practical difficult
y IN producing silk in any village OF on
any l"lm. NO machinery is ncr,trd, and
not dollar need be paid for any tools
or fixtures. Light feeding frames may
DE mndo by any man or intelligent boy
OF ll8ht boards or Of branches Of trees.
NhcltGr from storms must be taken to
avoid wettlnG or chilling the young
/ worms. Ihe eggs must be kent in n
cool and dry place until the lcuvcs ap-
pear. 1t IS not proposed to give precise
directIon8 here, but only to assure all
more required than every such person
can rcn lily learn. If mistake is made
III some process once, it may be easily
corrected the next time.
! The writer OF this note has bad n life
! time experience in the public service and
thorough knowledge of the cultivation
and resources of the country for II long
! period, and Of the South particularly1
since 1871. Then the best realization
! from the cotton crop was still very i'm
perfect, because cotton was very little
manufactured. Now manufacturers of
cotton IN the South arc general and
prosperous, but to grow cotton is no
longer possible, with profit, on the worn
! lanuS OF the cSatCrn States South.
StlIl more, the circumstances Of the
! country are greatly changed, and an i'm
nCnSc consumption of raw silk has been
established. The present demand takes
oUO,OUU pounds per month, or G,O0O,OOO
pounds per year, worth $50, ,OOO, 900.
! Inc imports of raw silk for November,
1856, were 5lG,O pounds, Yrluc S.
! Oio, I'll. III half Of this were not grown
mere 1t would cost the mcrcSt tlinU to
the growers, beyond their time, and
would be net profit Of almost it's full
value. 1t would be SO much directly
added to the national resources, and It
would all come to those who have no
other resource to convert their time into
! money.
\ channel has been cut through from
lNko BnlIOnN, LOS Angeles county, Cni-